The Undoing
Tarn. Autobot territory. Actively patrolled and carefully regulated. Of late, Decepticons entering the territory have seemingly been escorted out. Or at least treated with quiet disdain... So it's not like any Con would be brazen enough to find a perch out in the open, where any and all optics caring to do so could see... Well, then again, this is Buzzsaw. Likewise, it would seem he is indeed that brazen. Sitting, he simply waits for the first mechs to take him up on the 'offer' of transparency. And if ever a mech could look so genuine and smug at the same time? This would be it... Blast Off's last pose: Blast Off is not far from Buzzsaw. The Combaticon stands, looking around the plaza... but in a less conspicuous location. He'll let Buzzsaw gain the lion's share of attention... for now. He's a sniper, after all, he tends to want to operate in the shadows until he gets more of a feel for what the overall mood is, and where the security is. However, he's not here to shoot, if he can help it. No, he's here for a PR attempt. Again. Rebels are certainly not deaf to Buzzsaw's broadcasts. There's been much talk of it in the underground networks, so when the cryo-condor actually makes an appearance out in the open, it rallies the few amongst the streets that take notice. But they won't approach him. There are cameras everywhere. They watch from afar, from the alleyways, while the more complacent civilians react with shock and look around uneasily. Buzzsaw regards those more shocked, offering as polite a nod (or 'bob of the head' in his case) as he can in passing. "Be at ease, citizens of Tarn. I am not here to bite, I am here because I promised to be here." He clicks his beak, optics flickering briefly to where Blast Off is hiding... And then down the alleys. "How unfortunate that any of us must walk these streets fearing those who walk among us." He pauses again. "But, if it does calm your nerves, and no questions are to be had this evening, I shall take my leave and let you carry on undisturbed. Rest assured, I shall be back to address those concerns lingering in your processors again in the future. Until then, I bid thee farewell." And, with that, the Condor is airborne, making his way towards one of those back alleys... He /knows/ he saw something back there, and a quick glance for any cameras indicates a blind spot that might be worth looking into anyway. Or...at least an indication of who it may be. And, thus, into the darkness... "Come out, come out, whomever you are." Blast Off remains where he is, simply keeping watch and providing a backup if needed. But for now he's not in the spotlight- Buzzsaw is. The uneasy civilians can't be eased with such words, at least not yet. They quickly move along for fear of police retribution, for merely listening to Buzzsaw. No one notices Blast Off just yet, they just want to get out of the plaza. It's several dark turns into the maze of alleyways before Buzzsaw manages to draw out a group of about six mechs, some lacking altmode kibble. They do seem to have a leader though, looks to be a car mech with cyan armor. He steps forward and folds his arms. "You have a lotta' bearings coming here. You gonna' liberate us, little bird?" His comrades nudge him unhappily - that's a glorious Decepticon! Buzzsaw settles on a perch as he looks the six over, taking stock of any specific identification marks they might have and subconsciously running them against his own database of known insurgents... The 'little bird' comment is brushed aside rather easily. "Not just you. Liberate Tarn, and all who dwell within. That much will happen. I daresay, it is unavoidable." He straightens up, looking solely at the appointed 'leader' of the group. "And to whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?" Blast Off eases along, moving along the edges of the plaza into an mouth of an alleyway where he will be a little bit closer to Buzzsaw and his new "friends". He maintains a watch there, scanning for trouble- like cops or Autobot patrol ships flying overhead. Buzzsaw's database will bring up Flaxjax before he reluctantly offers his name. Looks like he's the luminary of the more violent riots, and wanted by TPD of course. The nervous femme that hides at the back of the group is Turnaphrase, a popular revolutionist blogger. She really, really doesn't want to be here. "Hey wait a nano... That's Blast Off!" Flaxjax recognizes the rather famed shuttle. "Okay, fine, but we've been trying to do that for a while now. I guess you have some kind of plan?" Buzzsaw nods. "As mentioned, it is inevitable. The Autobots hold Tarn like some sort of fetid trophy. They strongarm policies and twist those who disagree to their whims. It is underhanded. Cowardly. And ripe with hypocrisy." He turns his attention to Turnaphrase. Now there is one who had best be listening... "You see, Tarn's liberation is not about wresting control of a City-State from the Autobots. Nor is it about attrition; limiting their resources and gaining ground in this war." He looks back at Flaxjax before he starts to feel like he's not looked upon as the de-facto 'leader' of the group. "Tarn's liberation is about Cybertron's future, comrades. One where we stand united against all threats, foreign and domestic, and one where our goals and ideals are transparent, plainly authored, and duly enforced. Were it not for the Autobots, my stay here would not run the risk of being trampled upon. You would not need to seek me out in the shadows to ask when freedom will come. Those who are not of minds alongside yours will see this as well." He clicks his beak, turning his attention to Turnaphrase. "Knowledge will be the undoing of the Autobot occupancy here. Knowledge of their fear. Of their unwillingness to treat those who disagree with them fairly. Their compromise to their code of ethics that leads to a militaristic police force bearing down upon those deemed 'insurgents' due to carrying a difference of opinion. Ask yourself, when did having an opinion become a crime?" He looks towards Blast Off as the Combaticon is outed. "A crime... I disagree with the Autobots; therefor I should not be here. What kind of freedom is that?" He looks back at the group, letting his optics hover on each one for a few moments. "It is not Freedom. It is not what the Empire would wish upon its loyal citizens. It is a crime, and one which the Autobots cannot deny their guilt without being ousted as outright hypocrites. They /need/ to let Tarn go free, or they will no longer have that alleged 'moral high ground' they cling to so openly. That is how Tarn will be liberated. Knowledge." Blast Off hears his name being spoken, and turns to look... pride written on his features (well, what little of those anyone can actually see at least). Heh, of COURSE they remember HIM. He's been here several times before, asking Tarn civilians to join the Decepticon cause, even giving his name as the ticket for freedom should some of them desire to leave and head to Decepticon territories for help. He gives the assembled group a polite nod. "He speaks true. The Autofools are hypocrites... and they hate being exposed for who they really are. Thus their more... iron-fisted measures..." He points towards the sky where a distant patrol ship flies by. Then he turns to watch again for trouble... either another , closer patrol ship or something on the ground. The Tarnians exchange excited glances and avid nods - it's all their thoughts and more, expressed with eloquence. Flaxjax doesn't reply right away, probably to make it seem like he's deep in thought. He holds up a hand and the enthusiastic murmuring behind him stops. Turnaphrase can't help but shrink from Buzzsaw's gaze, but it doesn't stop her from recording the little speech and hastily scribbling notes on a holoprojection. "You talk like Turnaphrase talks," Flaxjax says flatly. "We can shake off this oppression with words, huh. Thoughts. Maybe. If knowledge can lead to more /action/, fine. I'm not so great with speeches, see. But mechs take notice when I set fire to ol' Governor Iacon's buildings. I've got my own plan... but I'm not going to turn away help, especially from a Decepticon. What would you have us do? And there's not just six of us, trust me." They all glance skyward at the patrol ship. "Decepticon or not, you shouldn't linger here so long," Turnaphrase finally speaks up. "Disguise yourself if you're going to be out in the open!" Buzzsaw chuckles softly. "Remember, let your actions speak Freedom. Not fear. Target the tools of Autobot oppression and let your more vocal members spread the word. The more mechs ask questions about the Autobots' intentions here, the more they will rally for their freedom to become reality. Let them see what a better place Tarn can be when given a voice to speak for itself." He nods to the others. "Blast Off may wish to hide, but I will do no such thing. Let them see me. If they retaliate for my mere presence, when I have done nothing to threaten anything more than their tenuous stranglehold on Tarn's populous, then they had best be ready to answer for the accusations Tarn's people will most assuredly bring forth. I did nothing, after all, to hide my intent in coming here. Why should I cower in fear that the Autobots might prove our viewpoint true? The citizens of Tarn deserve nothing less." He spreads his wings and takes flight, circling once. "Remember, lead your fellow citizens to seek truth behind the Autobot occupancy and liberation will soon follow." And, with that, he is departing. Blast Off turns to raise an optic ridge as Buzzsaw claims he's "hiding". Hey, he's been out and about among these people before... which usually leads to him getting a less than warm welcome from Arcee, Blurr, wasn't it Wraith that one time?.... any number of Autobots. He's simply being... cautious is all. But as much as he'd like to say something snarky, he refrains from it... it's not the time. He does pause to say this to the assembled mechs, however, "He is right... and information is power. Spread the word, and..." He looks at each individual. "...take spark in the fact that you fight for what is *right*. For /all/ of Cybertron." The gathered rebels watch Buzzsaw depart. Flaxjax and Turnaphrase stay quiet, but the rest are quite hyped about their brush with Deceptionry. And empowered! Blast Off only spurs them. "Shut up," Flaxjax snaps. "We haven't won this battle yet." With a flick of his hand, they're back into the shadows.